


Change of Heart

by TheQueenofMirth



Category: The Folk of the Air - Holly Black
Genre: Begging, Post-Book 2: The Wicked King, Power Dynamics, Power Play, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-18 17:08:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19338877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenofMirth/pseuds/TheQueenofMirth
Summary: Cardan wants Jude back. And Jude wants Cardan to beg.





	Change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is a The Folk of the Air’s One-Shot. The original work belongs to Holly Black.  
> This was written a from prompt. You can find it in the witterprompts' tumblr.

In the battlefield, Jude takes her sword from a body.

Perhaps a more precise description is Jude step on the chest of a kneeling troll who gives his last breaths. She pushes the body, which falls backwards, releasing the blade from it. She wipes the sword on her own forearm as if she doesn’t mind being covered in blood.

Cardan looks to her indifferent and bored eyes and feels a chill. He has bound himself to a cold killer until they don’t want anymore and pass the crown from their hands. The worst part is that makes him want to keep that damn thing in his head for a little longer.

Jude sees him watching her. In a moment shorter than a breath, his deadly wife let her sword fall in the ground, go down in her kneel taking a crossbow from a deceased soldier and aim in his direction. For a moment he thinks he is dead - Cardan couldn’t attack her to salve himself - but the bolt is not for him. It hit someone behind him.

He turns to see a faerie in the ground. Her sword is not far from neither of them. Yet Cardan can’t take it, he can’t kill her. Roots draw out the soil holding the warrior still. They still stare each other when Jude arrives, Nightfall in one hand and the crossbow in the other. She sticks the sword in the faerie heart and twists it with strong enough to break the bone. He asks himself if her hands are more stained now because he hasn’t stained his.

Cardan grabs her arm and forces Jude to look at him when he offers “Stay with me, be my Queen.”

She doesn’t pull herself free from his grip, but he knows she could if she wants to. She doesn’t take his offer too. “I thought you believed Elfhame is not my place to belong.”

“A lapse of judgment of youth.” He smiles. It's nervousness. Cardan needs her. Not just because she is very good at things he is just beginning to learn or because they complete and balance each other. But, because without her, his life feels enormous and empty. A long walk to nowhere. “Are you going to say you've never had one?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, _husband_.” Her fury is fierce. His hand slip from her arm. A fear that grows since the day he has expelled her takes him. Maybe she's determined to resent it, resent him. And he knows full well that Jude can succeed in much having just her determination to support her.

“What you want? An apology?” He would do. He wants to ask for forgiveness. He has wanted since before expel her.

Jude presses her body against his and whispers in his ear. “I would be much more pleased to see you on your knees. _Begging_.” His body shakes as her teeth brush on his ear.

He looks around. Elfhame’s soldiers are watching their encounter. “Right here?” Her anger disarms as if she hasn’t believed him until the moment. He can hear her heartbeat get strong and fast. A rhythm that even the battle could not instil in it. Her lips part and her eyes darken. Something petty awakens inside them.

“Right now.”

“Kneeling or begging.” He says without voice and without believing he would really do that. “Pick one, because I will not do both.”

Her smile is wild. “Get down on your knees.”

“If I do this, will you stay at my side? Be my wife?” He waits for a pause, hesitation. Doubt. Maybe the price is too high for the reward.

“Ok.” The answer came very early, very eager. It doesn’t sound like a lie. It’s satisfaction, victory. She sound like a mortal who believes herself getting the bargain best side. She should better enjoy herself now, she wouldn’t regret afterwards.

The High King fall in his kneel before his Queen. “You know what, wife? You chose wrong.” Cardan grabs the back of her thighs and spreads his finger between them.  “I'm more than willing to kneeling in front of you.” He pulls her close to him and kisses her mons Venus. “Satiated?”

She sighs. “No.” Jude entangles her fingers in his hair affectionately and makes him look at her eyes. He sees a wicked pleasure in there. “I would have stayed even if you didn’t want me to. But tell me, my _king_ , what changed your mind about me staying in Elfhame?”

Cardan chuckles. **“Some people are too kind for this world. You? Definitely not one of them.”**


End file.
